Apparatus foe



1,651,647 M. J. TRUMBLE APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING THE VOIQATILE PRODUCTS FROM CARBQNACEOUS MATERIAL Filed July 1l. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec.4 6, 192 7.

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` M. J. TRUMBLE ?PARATUS ma RECOVERING THE ,VOLATILE PRODUCTS FROM cAasoNAcEoUs MATERIAL iled July 11, 1922 /WM 0N J. Fra/wmf,

ATTO MY. S.

Patented l' Der..Y :6, 1927.

NETE@ STATES PATENT OF More F l C E HILON J. TEUMBLE, OF ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA.

@Panarea For. :encovnsme THE voLA'rILE PRODUCTS rnoiu cAnBoNAoEoUs Y MATERIAL.

Application led .uly 11, 1822. Serial No. 574,269.

My invention relates to the art of recovering volatile oils from carbonaceous substance such as lignite.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an apparatus in 'which such carbonaceous substances may be treated to re move the volatile portions thereof.-

The apparatus illustrated is particularly adapted to the treat-ment of lignite and the specification will be limited to this application, the scope of the-inventionbeing limited, however, only by the attached claims.

It is an object of the invention to providean apparatus in which, an internally heated retort is used; this etort being heated by hot vapor, preferab y steam, which is iniected into and passed through the carbonaceous substance in the retort for the purpose of heating the hydrocarbon. distilling the volatiles therefrom and providing. a carrier withwhich the volatiles are delivered to suitable eondensers.

lt is a further object of the invention to provide means by which the internal temperature of the retort may be accurately controlled. e

It is a still further object of the invention to fractionatethe resulting vapors by) means of dephlegmators.

It is a still further object ofthe invention to utilize certain waste heat for the.v purpose of providing preliminary drying of the raw material. l

It is a still further object. of the invention to provide an apparatus which is continu-- ous noperation and in which a veryhigh heat economy is maintained.

Further objects and advantages will be evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawing which is for illustrative purposes only, Fig. -l is a somewhat diagrammatic view of a' plant embodying the features'ofmy invention.

Fig. 2 is a crosssection through the center of n preferred -form of separator or retort.

Fig. 3 is a section through one formV of hydrogenator.

As explained'above, this plant is especially adapted to treat lignite. The plant as shown consists of a feeder 11 which delivers the raw material into i Crusher 12, the material being delivered from the Crusher 12- to a drying conveyor 13 which is preferably formed of e steel belt 14, carried on suitable. rolls 15 in an enclosed housing-16. The material is ing 21, having', a spiral conveyor 22jcarried 60 therein, this lconveyor being driven fromany suitable source by means ofa pulley 23.

' The raw material is delivered intothe top' of the separator 3.0, this separator consisting of a tight shell having cones 31, 32,38, and

34 therein. Cones 31 and 33 have their apexes pointing upwardly and the cones 32 und 34A have their apexes pointing. downf wardly, the apexes being; however, cut ofi.'

the cones' 32 and 34 to provide 'openings 70 through which the material'lflows. The ma-v terial delivered by thefeeder 20 is delivered to the apex of the cone 3lby means of f' rsmnll cone 35. flowing downwardly over the ones 31, 32, 33 and 34, y y As shown in Fig. 2 of thevdrawing, ma- `Jterial is finally delivered into'a cylindrical extension 36 from which 'it is removed means of discharge conyeyor 40. The-discharge conveyor 40 delivers the material to 80 a storage bin 41; discharge conveyor 40 is driven by means of a pulley 42.

Surrounding the discharge conveyor 40 is"- a jacket 45 into which feed water is' delivered through a pipe 46. The heatedresiduefrom 35 the separator passes throughthe conveyor 40 and heats the' feed water in the jacket 45, this water then being'delivered through 'i1- pipe 49 into a jacket 47.. surrounding-the cylindrical portion 36; This heated feed water 90 is then carried through a superheater 48, being delivered from this superheater into a hydrogenator 50.

The hydrogenator 50 as shown vin Fig. 3 consists of a shell 5,1. surroundedby heat insulation 52 and, filled with reducing material 53. This reducing material may consist of common salt andiron oxide either in the form of iron turnings or filings, or in the form of magnetic ore.

The superheated steam is delivered through a pipe 54'into the bottom of thez hydrogenator through a perforated ico ppe 55,' the steam blowing up through there ucing draft beingniaintained bv means of a main a small ortion of the steam is reduced producing ree hydrogen which is injected with the steam through nozzles 59 placed in the bottom of the separator 30. The separator 30 and the superheater 48 are placed in a suitable furnace 60 which is heated through an opening 61 by means ofa burner 62 fed with finely pulverized fuel from a fuel hopper 63.

When operating upon lignite, material from the storage bin 41 forms an excellent fuel, being blown lin powder form into the, interiorvof the furnace. the hot gases of which act; upon the steam in the superheater 48 and in the jacket 47, passing upwardly around the separator 30 and int-:i the enclosure 16 about the dryingr conveyor.

draft fan whichpu'lls the produpts of vcombustion through the conduit '16. Fliese hot gases acting upon 'the material on the belt 14 tend to drive out the iiioisture'there from prior to its deliver)v into the feeder 20.

The object of passing the lint gases around the separator 30 is primarily to prevent loss` of heat therefrom, the -superheated steam and hydrogen deliver) through the nozzles 59 being largelydependcd upon this for heating.

It will be noted that the. material is fed continually through the separator 3() falling dovvnwardl)r therethrough in a thin laver onv the cones 31, 32, 33. and 34, and being in intimate-contact with the heated steam and hrvdrogen carried in the separator 30. Distillat-ion therefore takes place.the volatile portion of the lignite being turned to vapor and mixed with the steam delivered through the nozzles 59.

The water and oil vapors are withdrawn through pipes 80. 81. S2. and 83 bv means of centrifugal blowers 84 which are driven by a motor 85. l'It will-,be noted that each of the fans 84 operates on a certain the separator 30 and by a. s'uitab portion of e proportioning ollfthese fans or the piping thereto exactly tlie'proper amount of "apormaybe withdrawn' rom each point.

All of the vapors are delivered from the fans 84 through a pipe V86 into a series of dephlegmators 87 and through 'a pipe 88 intoa condenser89. j

The dephlegmators `rent any well known f ornnbeing so constructed that the vapors in passing therethrough are eooied,'tlie coni' densates being-delivered through pipes 90, 91, and 92, to suitable storage 4not shown. 'A

'final condensation is provided in the conprogressively1 lower boiling point., the vapors being fractionated by the use. of the deyphlegmators 87 and the. condenser 89.

-feed water for seid generator.

nemen' series: means for appiying heated gases to .Y said separator out of contar; Awith material in said separator: :i convevor svsteiii for dclivel-ing material into the. top-of said se :arator: and iur-ans ivhereliv the material, ivliilepassiug through said conveyor sysieiii to `:aid separator. is brought into direct contact with said gases 'from heating means.

'ln au apparatus of the character desc'rihed. the -omhinatien lof: a separator coiiil'ii'isirig oppofdteiy disposed conical elements. arranged iu a siilistantiailvv Avertieei series; means for appiving hot gases to said separator out of contact with the material iii said separator; a conveyor s vstein for delivering iiiateriat into the top or' said sepai'ator: and means wherebiv the material, while being conveyed to said separator, is brought into direct contact, with said gases after the latter have been applied to said Vsteam generator: means for delivering steam from said generator into said separator; and a water )acht-t. surrounding said discharge' .conveyor and-'iii communication with Seid 4. In an apparatus for recovering volatile products from ra'rlionaceous materialthe combination of: a separator; means for applying heat to said separator: a conveyor s vstem for delivering prepared material to aid separat-or; means whereh)Y the materials heing conveyed to said separator wilt be subjected to the waste heat not utilized by said separator; a discharge coi'iveyor for taking treated material from said separator; aA steam generator: a hydrogenator for treating the` steam from said generator; means for delivering'said steam into said separator; and a water jacket surrounding' said disf charge'conveyor and in communication with said steam generator for absorbing heat from said treated material to preheat the lll naamw In an apparatus tfor recoveringlvolatile products from carbonaeous material, the

combination of: a separator; means for ap' plying heat to said separator; a conveyor system for deliveringprepared material to said separa-tor; a dischargeconveyor for taking treated material` from 'said separator; a steam generator; a hydrogenator 'for treating the steam from said generator; means for delivering said steam to said separator; and a water Jacket surrounding said discharge conveyor in communication with said steam generator for absorbing heat from said treated material to prchcat the iced water for said generaton ".7. In an agiparatus of the class described, the conilaination of: a shell; moans for inecting steam into oil; means for ap- .i; means for deliverrial into the top oi' conical i'iiernbers disl with their apexes ily o. d, dcliecting said material outwardly: a tunnel disposed beneath each otsaid conical members for directing said materialVinwurdl; :o that. said material will be delivered upon the apex of each suctake-oil passages for 'vblatile products comxnunicatingwith the interior of each of said conical members; and a pipe connectie into said shell at the leveluof each funne for removing volatile products therefrom.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination al1-a separator; means for heating said separator, said heating means being out of contact with the material in said separator; means whereby the material being brought to said separator is brought int-o direct contact with the heat not utilized by said separator; a. steam generator; a hydrogenator for treating the steam from said generator; and means for delivering saidv steam from said hydrogenator into said separator. f

` 9. In an apparatus of the' character described z a separator 5 means `for applying hot gases to said separator 'out of Contact with the material in said separator; means whereby'the materialfbeing brought to said separator is brogght into direct. Contact with the heat of said g'asesnot utilized by said separator; la steam generator; a hydrogenator 'for treating the steam from said generator; means for deliverin said steam from said Ahydrogenator into said separator; means for removing treated material; and a water jacket surrounding said removing means andv in communication with said steam generator for absorbing heat from the material which has been treated in said separator to vPreheat the feed water delivered t0 said .steam generator. 10. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of: a separator; a conveyor system for delivering carbonaceous material tosai'd separator; lmeans for supplying -heat to said separator, said --heating meting-.being out oef contact with the carbona'c'eous material in said separator; means whereby ,the material being conveyed to said separator is brought into direct contact with the heat of said heating means not utilized by said separator; a steam generator for delivering steam from said generator into said separator; means `for removing treated material; anda water jacket surrounding said removing .means and in communication with said steam generator for absorbing`r` heat from the carbonaceous material which has been treated in said separatoi` to preheat the said water for said generator.

l ln an apparatus of the character described, the combination of: a separator; means 'for introducing into saidseparator a treatinr agent for heatingthe material in said faactor; means for transferring heat from the' material treated in said separator to said agent to preheat the latter before it enters said separator; a series of conical members disposed within said shell' with their apexesupwardly directed for deflecting outwardly the material in Vsaid separator; a funnel disposed beneath eachfof said conical members for directing inwardly the material .in said separator, so that saidv Inaterial will be deliveredvupon the apex of each succeeding conical member; and pi es providingtake-off passages vfor volati e prodncts, said pipes communicating with the interior of each of said conical members.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of: a separator; means for introducing into said separator a heating agent for heating the material in said separator; means for transferring heat fromthe material treated in said separator to said agent to preheat the latter before it enters said separator; a series'of conical members disposed within said shell with A said conical members for directing inwardly the material in said separator, so that said material willbe delivered upon the apex of each succeeding conical member: pipes providing take-otf passages for volatile products, said pipes communicating with the interior of each of said conical members: and means to preheat feed water delivered to a steam generator surrounflingan extension of said superheater.

13. In au apparatus of the character lescribed, the combination of: a separator; means for heating said separator, said heating means being out of Contact with the material in said separator; means where- 'by the material being brought to said scparator is brought into direct contact with the heat not utilized by said separator; means` for introducing into said -separator a -heating agent for heating the material in said separator; means for transferring heat fromV theY material which has been treated in said separator to saidA agent to Preheat said agent before the latter enters Said separator; and

pipes connected to said separator at different evels thereof for removing volatile prod'- ucts released from the material treated in the separator.

14. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of: :1 separator comprising oppositely disposed conical elements, arranged in a substantially vertical series; means of supplying heat to said separater, the gaseous source of Said heat being out of contact with the material, While said material is in said separator; and means whereby the material, before being brought into the top of saidl separator is brought into direct contact with said gaseous source of heat, a portion of said heat having been first utilized by the separator. Y

In testimony whereof, I havehereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,` California,this

6th day of July. 1922.

MILON J. TRUMBLE. 

